Influencers with more than 1 million followers are more likely to drive a purchase decision than smaller, niche creators, according to a new report from ad verification company DoubleVerify (DV), a reversal of the pattern that favored micro-influencers in past years. The finding comes from a DV-commissioned survey of 22,000 consumers and 2,020 marketers conducted by Sapio Research in February 2026.
Mega-Influencers Lead the Purchase-Impact Hierarchy
DV’s survey asked consumers which influencer tiers have a major impact on their purchase decisions, using three size bands: micro-influencers (1,000 to 100,000 followers, described as niche with high engagement), macro-influencers (100,000 to 1 million followers, described as topic experts) and mega-influencers (more than 1 million followers, often celebrities with high reach but lower direct engagement). Mega-influencers led globally at 25%, ahead of macro-influencers and micro-influencers, which tied at 18% each. Among high-income consumers specifically, 31% said mega-influencers “significantly impact” their purchase decisions. DV’s report frames this as evidence that the trade-off between a celebrity’s reach and a niche creator’s perceived authenticity “may be subsiding.”
The mega-influencer effect was strongest in Latin America (32%) and Asia Pacific (31%), and weakest in North America (18%) and EMEA (19%). DV’s report suggests marketers in Asia Pacific and Latin America, specifically, may want to weight investment toward mega-influencers given that a majority of consumers in both regions pay attention to celebrity recommendations.
Influencer Impact Overall Splits Sharply by Region
Looking at influencer content broadly rather than by tier, 48% of consumers globally said influencer content “somewhat to significantly” impacts their purchase decisions. That figure was far higher in Latin America (57%) and Asia Pacific (56%) than in North America (39%) and EMEA (40%), per the survey.
Consumers Resist AI-Generated Influencer Content
Consumer trust declines sharply once AI enters the picture, according to the survey. Only about one in three consumers held positive views of marketing that is clearly AI-generated, and sentiment varied by how visible the AI involvement was. A scenario in which a human creator uses AI behind the scenes, such as to draft a product review or enhance footage before delivering it themselves, drew the most positive response: 39% positive versus 25% negative. Sentiment flipped for scenarios involving visibly synthetic creators. A brand-sponsored influencer that is obviously AI-generated drew 37% negative responses against 29% positive, the worst net result among the four scenarios DV tested. A realistic AI influencer that most consumers couldn’t identify as synthetic performed only slightly better, at 36% positive versus 30% negative.
Acceptance of AI-generated influencer content was not uniform across consumer segments. Per the survey, sentiment grew more positive as household income rose, and urban consumers were markedly more accepting than suburban consumers. Men were more accepting than women, and millennials were more open than Gen Z to influencer promotions that are clearly AI-generated. Households with children ages one to five were the only segment to register a net-positive response across all four AI-influencer scenarios DV tested.
Short-Form Video and Influencer Formats Drive Action
Among ad formats, short-form video, the format native to platforms like TikTok, Instagram Reels and YouTube Shorts, ranked as the top motivator for consumer action at 38% globally, ahead of long-form video pre-roll (31%) and search (26%). Influencer sponsorships or promotions specifically prompted action from 22% of consumers, tied with in-app ad formats. Consumers in Latin America (49%) and Asia Pacific (47%) were markedly more likely to act on short-form video ads than those in North America (27%) and EMEA (29%).
Image source: DoubleVerify The full report can be foundhere
Dragomir is a Serbian freelance blog writer and translator. He is passionate about covering insightful stories and exploring topics such as influencer marketing, the creator economy, technology, business, and cyber fraud.
Influencers with more than 1 million followers are more likely to drive a purchase decision than smaller, niche creators, according to a new report from ad verification company DoubleVerify (DV), a reversal of the pattern that favored micro-influencers in past years. The finding comes from a DV-commissioned survey of 22,000 consumers and 2,020 marketers conducted by Sapio Research in February 2026.
Mega-Influencers Lead the Purchase-Impact Hierarchy
DV’s survey asked consumers which influencer tiers have a major impact on their purchase decisions, using three size bands: micro-influencers (1,000 to 100,000 followers, described as niche with high engagement), macro-influencers (100,000 to 1 million followers, described as topic experts) and mega-influencers (more than 1 million followers, often celebrities with high reach but lower direct engagement). Mega-influencers led globally at 25%, ahead of macro-influencers and micro-influencers, which tied at 18% each. Among high-income consumers specifically, 31% said mega-influencers “significantly impact” their purchase decisions. DV’s report frames this as evidence that the trade-off between a celebrity’s reach and a niche creator’s perceived authenticity “may be subsiding.”
The mega-influencer effect was strongest in Latin America (32%) and Asia Pacific (31%), and weakest in North America (18%) and EMEA (19%). DV’s report suggests marketers in Asia Pacific and Latin America, specifically, may want to weight investment toward mega-influencers given that a majority of consumers in both regions pay attention to celebrity recommendations.
Influencer Impact Overall Splits Sharply by Region
Looking at influencer content broadly rather than by tier, 48% of consumers globally said influencer content “somewhat to significantly” impacts their purchase decisions. That figure was far higher in Latin America (57%) and Asia Pacific (56%) than in North America (39%) and EMEA (40%), per the survey.
Consumers Resist AI-Generated Influencer Content
Consumer trust declines sharply once AI enters the picture, according to the survey. Only about one in three consumers held positive views of marketing that is clearly AI-generated, and sentiment varied by how visible the AI involvement was. A scenario in which a human creator uses AI behind the scenes, such as to draft a product review or enhance footage before delivering it themselves, drew the most positive response: 39% positive versus 25% negative. Sentiment flipped for scenarios involving visibly synthetic creators. A brand-sponsored influencer that is obviously AI-generated drew 37% negative responses against 29% positive, the worst net result among the four scenarios DV tested. A realistic AI influencer that most consumers couldn’t identify as synthetic performed only slightly better, at 36% positive versus 30% negative.
Acceptance of AI-generated influencer content was not uniform across consumer segments. Per the survey, sentiment grew more positive as household income rose, and urban consumers were markedly more accepting than suburban consumers. Men were more accepting than women, and millennials were more open than Gen Z to influencer promotions that are clearly AI-generated. Households with children ages one to five were the only segment to register a net-positive response across all four AI-influencer scenarios DV tested.
Short-Form Video and Influencer Formats Drive Action
Among ad formats, short-form video, the format native to platforms like TikTok, Instagram Reels and YouTube Shorts, ranked as the top motivator for consumer action at 38% globally, ahead of long-form video pre-roll (31%) and search (26%). Influencer sponsorships or promotions specifically prompted action from 22% of consumers, tied with in-app ad formats. Consumers in Latin America (49%) and Asia Pacific (47%) were markedly more likely to act on short-form video ads than those in North America (27%) and EMEA (29%).
Image source: DoubleVerify
The full report can be found here
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